The investigators established a biochemical link between clotting and the body's immune response involved a key clotting protein called von Willebrand factor (VWF) and about a dozen other proteins that are components of the complement system. The complement system, a part of the body's innate immune system, is one of biology's most ancient forms of defense against invading pathogens. They found that C3, an important complement pathway-initiator protein, was produced by cells in such low concentration that it was almost impossible to see, even with a fluorescent microscope, but that changed when they looked at samples that contained both C3 and VWF.

Joel Moake, MD, a hematologist and senior author of the study said, "In addition to the clinical evidence, there's also a logical basis for this connection. Clotting is a type of wound response, and wounds are magnets for infection, so there could be a selective advantage in triggering both responses at the same time. This link opens the door for studying severe, debilitating inflammatory disorders where the disease mechanism is still poorly understood, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, regional ileitis and ulcerative colitis, as well as age-related macular degeneration." The study was published on March 29, 2013, in the journal Public Library of Science ONE.
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